How to help your heartbroken child

Seeing your child deal with heartbreak is heartbreaking for you as a parent. Whether it's watching their first crush choose someone else or they're going through a difficult breakup, it tugs at your heart strings. All you want to do is make everything better. While you can't exactly do that, there're things you can do to help them get through this difficult time.

Don't minimize their pain

It can be tempting to tell your child that the pain they're feeling is small compared to what could be going on in their life. You are only trying to put thins into perspective but this is not usually helpful. The pain they are feeling is big to them. Try to refrain from comments that minimize what they are going through. They need you to understand that they feel sad and upset.

Empathize

What can help your child is emphathizing with them. sharing stories of yuor first heatbreak or when a crush did ot turn into a relationship can help them feel not so alone. It is a good reminder to them that they will get through this difficult time. another benefit is that it helps your to relate to how they are feeling. there is nothing like remembering when you were heartbroken to feel emphathetic.

Make their favorite meal

Of course this will not fix everything but it's a small gesture of kindness. It is nice to know someone's thinking of you an ddoing something just because they love you no matter what age you are. If spaghetti and meatballs or hamburgers and fries are a favorite then now is the time to pull them our. Even a temporary brak from their sadness for a meal they love is helpful. there's no denying that food can be comforting.

Remind them their future is bright

Hoe is always helpful. It is good to remind your child that their future is bright. Talk about all the great things that are waiting for them next week, next year or years in the future. Getting their mind off of their troubles can be helpful. Helping them shift their focus to positive things can help them feel better.

Give them space

There is also value in giving them some space. They may want to be alone to deal with their feelings. the is okay. Allowing them to have that time to process their feelings is healthy. We all need time to sort through our thoughts and feelings at times.